Five Republicans, one Democrat and one independent will face off in the June 7 primary, in which any voter in the district may vote for any candidate regardless of the voter’s party affiliation. The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 8 general election.

Former Anaheim Councilman Harry Sidhu and Irvine Mayor Steven Choi are leading the pack in campaign fundraising, allowing them to send out mailers and post signs throughout the district, which encompasses Lake Forest, Tustin, Villa Park and parts of Anaheim, Irvine and Orange plus surrounding unincorporated communities.

Sidhu has raised $274,049 in total contributions (excluding loans) and Choi $220,664, according to the latest campaign finance reports, which run through April 23. They are far ahead of the third-place candidate, former Villa Park Councilwoman Deborah Pauly, who’s raised $25,818.

Sidhu and Choi could use their finances to boost their name recognition in the low-profile race, said Scott Spitzer, associate professor of political science at Cal State Fullerton.

“Very few people care about state Assembly positions; most people don’t even know the name of their representative,” Spitzer said. “Money raises your profile.”

But some say Sidhu and Choi’s ties to the Republican establishment could backfire, fueled by an anti-establishment sentiment in the presidential election. Donald Trump supporters, who tend to be anti-establishment conservatives, might affect the Assembly race if they turn up to vote in the primary, Spitzer said.

“I think it’s going to help me,” said Pauly, a Tea Party favorite who has openly criticized county GOP leadership as well as council colleagues. “This is the year of the outsider. People are looking for a change agent. I have definitely been that.”

Other lesser-funded candidates are relying on grass-roots campaigns to win the support of targeted voters.

Republican Konstantinos “Kostas” Roditis, serving on the Anaheim Cultural and Heritage Commission, proposes giving homeowners the option of paying an 8 percent, one-time tax and never paying property tax as long as they continue to own their property.

Brian Chuchua, the only candidate with no party preference, said he decided to run for the Assembly to make sure veterans get their cemetery at the former El Toro Marine Base.

Sidhu, Choi and Pauly adhere to the same fiscal conservative values. They bash Democrats in the Legislature for driving businesses out of California with high taxes and excessive regulations.

Sidhu said he’s the only candidate who owns businesses with nearly 100 employees and understands the pain of small-business owners. Choi emphasizes that he’s the only candidate with mayoral experience.

Pauly, who acknowledges her “blunt honesty,” made headlines for calling two Muslims speaking at a local event “unadulterated evil” and for comparing Obamacare with sodomy.

If five Republicans split the vote, Sean Jay Panahi could monopolize the Democratic vote and advance to the general election.

Panahi, a civil attorney who’d never run for any political office, said he’s satisfied with how Democrats in the Legislature are leading the state. He’s the only candidate who has shown support for California’s bullet-train project.

Republicans make up about 43percent of voters in the 68th District, with Democrats at about 29 percent, according to California’s secretary of state.

“When there’s only one Democrat in a race like this, it really increases the chance they’ll make it to November,” said Jodi Balma, a political scientist at Fullerton College.

Balma pointed to the nearby Assembly District 55 primary in 2014 as an example. Republicans had an 8-point advantage in voter registration, but the field of three Republicans and one Democrat resulted in a candidate from each party making the November ballot. Republican Ling Ling Chang easily won that race.

For the top Republican vote-getter, it’s like the good old days, where in a safe seat you just have to win the primary to win in November,” Balma said.

Tomoya Shimura covers Irvine for the Orange County Register. Prior to his stint at the Register, Tomoya had worked as a news reporter and sports writer for the Daily Press in Victorville. He won several awards for his work there, including the best business story from the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Tomoya received his M.S. in sports studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He earned his B.A. in liberal arts from International Christian University in Tokyo.

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